Moving to Poland from Malaysia

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Malaysia to Poland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Malaysia to Poland, you would find that Poland is 87.5% more expensive than Malaysia overall. A MYR307,192 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly PLN362,365 in Poland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Polish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Warsaw averages 55°F vs 90°F in Kuala Lumpur, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Malaysia and Poland.

What does your salary buy?

MYR307,192 PLN362,365

To maintain the same standard of living in Poland

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 3.0 times more

Groceries

pay 1.8% more

Transportation

pay 98.7% more

Housing

pay 2.8 times more

Childcare

pay 69.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 22.6% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MYR = 0.9255 PLN (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Poland cost about 24% more than cities in Malaysia.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Malaysia to Poland.

Moved in 2021
66 ↑ 8% vs 2020

people moved from Malaysia to Poland · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Poland?

Top countries of origin for Poland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Poland compared to Malaysia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

MY
0.7
PL
0.7
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

MY
90%
PL
11%

Malaysia generally does better on safety, though Poland leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

MY
$1,441
PL
$3,939
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

MY
23.2
PL
33.9

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Poland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MY
63.0
PL
41.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MY
8.3t
PL
7.6t

Poland performs significantly better than Malaysia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MY
12.4
PL
23.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MY
3.4%
PL
32.1%

Malaysia generally does better on infrastructure, though Poland leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MY
3.9%
PL
2.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MY
$33,600
PL
$44,100

Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Poland leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MY
76.1 yrs
PL
78.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MY
6.6
PL
4.2

Poland performs significantly better than Malaysia across all family life metrics.

Data: Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kuala Lumpur Rain: 95.6 in/yr (2427 mm)
90° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Warsaw Rain: 20.9 in/yr (532 mm)
55° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kuala Lumpur Warsaw
Jan–Mar 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) 38°/26°F (3°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) 66°/46°F (19°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) 72°/53°F (22°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 44°/33°F (7°/1°C)
View all months
Month Kuala Lumpur Warsaw
Jan 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) 33°/24°F (0.7°/-4.4°C)
Feb 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) 36°/25°F (2.1°/-3.9°C)
Mar 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) 44°/30°F (6.9°/-0.9°C)
Apr 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) 57°/38°F (13.9°/3.6°C)
May 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C)
Jun 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C)
Jul 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) 76°/57°F (24.6°/13.7°C)
Aug 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) 75°/55°F (23.9°/13.0°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 65°/48°F (18.4°/9.0°C)
Oct 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 55°/40°F (12.8°/4.7°C)
Nov 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) 43°/33°F (5.9°/0.5°C)
Dec 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) 35°/26°F (1.6°/-3.1°C)

Data: Malaysian Meteorological Department Malaysian Meteorological Department, Institute of Meteorology and Water Management Institute of Meteorology and Water Management

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia and Poland. To live, work, or study long-term in Poland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Poland's immigration authority.

Malaysia passport

Malaysia passport holder visiting Poland

Visa Free
Malaysia passport holders can enter Poland without a visa.
Poland passport

Poland passport holder visiting Malaysia

Visa Free
Poland passport holders can enter Malaysia without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Poland than Malaysia?

On average Poland is around 27% pricier than Malaysia, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Poland?

Budget about PLN90,591 for 3 months in Poland (based on a MYR307,192 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Poland?

Connectivity is usually fine (Poland: 23.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Poland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Poland safe for expats?

Malaysia generally does better on safety, though Poland leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Poland is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia. About 11% of people in Poland feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Poland compared to Malaysia?

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Poland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Poland, compared to 23.2 in Malaysia. Poland scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).

What's the weather like in Poland compared to Malaysia?

The average high temperature in Warsaw is 55°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Warsaw receives around 20.9 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.

What language do they speak in Poland?

The official language in Poland is Polish. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.

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At a Glance

MY PL
Population 33,871,431 38,093,101
Currency Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) Polish Zloty (PLN)
Languages English, Malay Polish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +60 +48
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 112